We all need a light in the darkness
by Evelino11
Summary: "Who defeats the other is strong, but who conquers himself is mighty." The following four years after her journey through the Labyrinth, Sarah keeps having the same dream. And after her search she learned that nothing is what it seems. ON HIATUS
1. Prologue

**FANFICTION LABYRINTH:WE ALL NEED A LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS**

**Prologue**

**Well hello!**

**This is my first attempt to write a fanfic and English is not my native language.**

**But I adore reading fanfiction (change that, I might be obsessed with it).**

**That's why I am writing this story.**

**I do not own Labyrinth or the characters. If I did, there would have been a sequel by now.**

_I was running. In no direction and with no purpose. Just running._

_The only feeling that went through me was desperation._

_My surroundings were a question mark since my eyes could only see the darkness._

_In the end I couldn't stop even though I wanted to stop every passing moment. _

_The only thing that kept me going was my gut that was telling me that I was here for an unknown reason._

_But my legs started to feel like lead and the only thing my gut was feeling at that instant was nausea._

_And just when I was about to collapse, a voice called out to me._

_There was something familiar in that voice._

_I never knew someone could sound so cold and warm at the same time._

_With the world spinning around me, I tried to comprehend where it came from._

_In a way I felt the need to go and find the velvet voice that called my name in need._

_In a way I needed a purpose in this dark hole._

_I needed to find a light._

_But exhaustion was taking its toll as I fell upon my knees ._

_The voice became quieter by the second, like it was moving further away from me._

_Panting and struggling to get up on my feet moving I did my best to shout._

_Nothing but a raspy 'wait' came out of my throat, not even loud enough to be heard as a whisper._

_With great difficulty I managed to take two steps before fate decided differently._

_I tripped and lost all control of my balance and body._

_Only to fall into an endless hole._

_Fearing and hoping for the moment it would end._

**I know it is short and not really telling a lot, but it is a prologue.**

**For the people who have already read the prologue, I changed the end a bit.**


	2. I'm awake now

**Hello however- is reading- this -story!**

**This is where the story begins.**

**So...Action!**

"Sarah..." A soft voice calls out. I just grunt and turn around in my bed. Why leave a warm bed when it's so cozy?

"Sarah.." The same voice calls out again a little louder, yet I pretend I'm still fully asleep. Maybe the voice will leave. Please let it leave.

"SARAH!"

Okay I'm awake now, that's for sure. Mostly because I fell out of my bed due to the shock of the loud yell in my ear. I guess that was my call to get out of bed.

When I blink to see who abruptly woke me up, I see my 5 year old brother Toby smiling down at me. He is an adorable toddler with curly blond hair, baby cheeks and bright blue eyes who knows I am not a morning person. Still, I could never be really angry at him when he is looking so innocent and sweet at me.

"Good morning to you as well Toby." I try not to sound too harsh to him. It would only upset him and seeing him cry is heart breaking, plus I'm currently not in the mood for a crying brother who needs to be soothed.

He shoves a coin right in front of me. "Look! I got a quarter for my tooth! The Tooth Fairy put it under my pillow as a payment for my tooth." He looks really proud at this.

"That's great Toby. Did you stay awake to see if she would come?" I doubt it. The kid always goes to bed around 8 o' clock in the evening and wakes up at 7 o' clock in the morning. And even after 11 hours of sleeping he is still yawning and ready to go back to bed. We really are true sibling in that way.

He pouts ."No, I tried but I fell asleep." He then beams up.

"Maybe if I make sure I lose another one today I will be able to see her tonight?" He looks so hopeful at me. But I should make sure he won't be running around without any teeth at the end of the week.

"Toby." I say calm yet serious. "It doesn't work like that. Your teeth should come out by themselves. If you have given all of your teeth at the Tooth Fairy how will you be able to eat any chocolate chip cookies?" That should do the job.

He thinks about it for a while, considering my words.

"Okay, but may I still keep my quarter?" He eventually says.

I can't help but laugh at that. "Of course you may,Tobs. Spend it wisely." I wonder what you can buy with a quarter?

"I will Sarah!" He starts to run out of my room before he suddenly stops. " Oh yeah, mom told me to tell you that you should get up and go downstairs." After that he continues to run down the staircase.

Maybe I shouldn't have told him about the Tooth Fairy yet. His tooth was just a little loose before the story. After two days he was out and under the pillow.

After getting dressed I make my way to the kitchen. After my little talk with Toby I had forgotten my dream for while. It wasn't a new dream. I have had it for over four years. Four years after I wished Toby away, got a visit from the goblin king himself, run the goblin kings labyrinth and got Toby back. But it seems like it happened just yesterday. A cliché but true none the less.

I have had the dream more than I remember and I haven't found my light in the darkness yet. Every time I get close I wake up.

My tummy gurgles and I realize that I have stopped walking while lost in my thoughts. I put the dream aside for now and head for my first quest of the day: Breakfast.


	3. creativity has no limit

**CHAPTER 2: CREATIVITY HAS NO LIMIT**

**All rights to the Labyrinth and the characters do not belong to me.**

"Sarah, your fried eggs will get cold."

The slightly annoyed voice of Karen brings me out my thoughts. I was just wondering how people celebrate their birthday if they are born on the 29th of February.

It wasn't a random question that came to my mind. First, I was thinking about the fact that a person has about four dreams a night. Then why do I always remember that one dream in the morning most of the time? That point was followed by the thought that a leap year happens every four year. An understandable question that I asked myself was 'how do you celebrate your birthday if you are born on the 29th of February?'

The logic of the mind, one of the world's greatest enigmas.

"You are just out of bed and already daydreaming. How will you ever find a boyfriend when you are always with your head in the clouds?" With a frown, she leaves the kitchen to check on Toby who has been in the lavatory for at least ten minutes now.

I just sigh. Is it so horrific that I'm nineteen years old and that I never had a boyfriend before? Honestly, why the drama? It's not that I am blind for the male gender, it just hasn't happened yet. Of course, I have had that typical teenage crush on a boy in high school.

He was an exchange student from Norway. His name was Rikr and we were both seventeen when he came to my school. He wasn't especially handsome or charming, but his eyes were clear blue and his voice had a very pleasant baritone sound to it. I talked to him a couple of times, mostly because he was my chemistry partner. He was kind and rather clever. When he left I was disappointed because he was a nice and interesting person to be around, but my wasn't heart was not broken. If I think about him, I think about the boy from Norway who was nice and had lovely eyes. Not a missed chance to find true love. Definitely not.

In short, my love life is non-existent and I'm fine with that for now.

Karen on the other hand, has a different point of view on my love life. Last year she asked me this:

"Sarah, dear. Do you perhaps like girls more in an intimate way than boys? You are already eighteen and you have never introduced us to a boy or even mentioned having a boyfriend. If you are, I want you to know that your father and I fully support you."

It was such an awkward, funny and endearing moment. Awkward because I know I'm straight. Just like a lesbian knows she is attracted to women, a homosexual to men and a bisexual to both. You just know I think. Funny because of the look on her face and how she chose to ask me if I am a lesbian. But most of all endearing. It was a moment where she really felt like a mother to me. She just wanted to understand and accept me.

I told her that don't see girls that way and she just hugged me and told me that if I wanted to talk about anything, I could always come to her. We almost bonded at that moment.

But a year later, she still occasionally tells me I should have had a boyfriend by now.

Old habits, die hard.

Back in the present, I quickly finish my now cold fried eggs and decide to see what is taking Toby so long. When I arrive at the door of the lavatory, I see Karen standing in front of it.

"Toby, open this door right now!" Karen says while knocking impatiently on the locked door. "I am going to count to three. If you are not out of the lavatory at the count of three, than you can forget watching any television shows tonight!" That should do the trick.

And it does. The door swings open and he jumps out of the bathroom, landing right in front of us. Neither one of us was prepared for what would come next.

"Look mommy I'm a mummy! I'm Tutakhupi!" He means Tutankhamun. I had told about the ancient pharaoh to Toby in a bedtime story a couple of nights ago.

The fact still stands that Toby was standing in front of me and Karen with toilet paper wrapped around his entire body, apart from his mouth.

Karen manages to collect herself faster than me and is the first of us to react. "Toby, I have told you before. The toilet paper is for after you have used the toilet." Last summer, he wanted to be a snowman.

While Karen tries to remove the toilet paper, I just smile down at my adorable little brother. How could I have wanted him gone, four years ago. I know I meant my words the moment I wished him away. Even though I have denied that fact in two years after the event. But I was also sure I wanted him back. Sometimes you just say things that you mean with all your heart, but when you have said them, you immediately regret it. Bloody puberty and the additional mood swings didn't help.

Thinking about the 'incident' reminds me of my first meeting with the Goblin King, at the age of fifteen. I was alone with the baby, the light-switch wasn't working anymore all of a sudden, there was lightning. Toby was gone and before I could do anything else than look at the empty cradle, the Goblin King himself appeared in front of me.

I was petrified of shock at that instant. My eyes were glued onto the figure in front of me. And when I asked him who he was, I already knew the answer very well. Just like he said. Because deep down, I truly believed in fairytales and stories about Goblin Kings.

I still do.

**Rikr is Norwegian for 'ruler'**


	4. Pecking Order

**CHAPTER 3: Pecking Order**

**All rights to the Labyrinth and the characters do not belong to me.**

**To** **TheRealEatsShootsAndLeaves****: Yes, it's without doubt wasted. Do not try this at home. Except if you really want to look like a mummy. :)**

"There is still some toilet paper behind your left ear, Mr. Mummy." I tell Toby while poking on the spot.

It turned out that he had soaped his whole body, including his hair, and then wrapped himself with the toilet paper. His underwear was the only piece of cloth that was left in place during the 'mummification process'. I would certainly give him credit for creativity.

Karen, on the other hand, was less amused about his little change of clothing.

After bathing Toby, she requested to take Toby with me outside. My step-mother has a meeting planned with some of her friends this evening . According to her, there are enough worries on her mind besides us. And by friends I mean middle aged women who just want to brag about their children, eat cake and gossip.

It is the Christmas Holidays and I hardly see the little guy while attending college, so I gladly obliged.

After Karen made sure we were wearing a scarf, a woolen hat, gloves and an extra pair of socks, we headed to one of my favorite spots: The park.

The park itself is rather extensive, but I always go to the same place at the pond. The childhood sentiment keeps me from going anywhere else in the park.

"I knew that." Toby claims while reaching behind his ear to get rid of the last piece that belongs to his mummy outfit.

"Of course you did Toby." I reply sarcastically while going through his hair.

"Do you think mommy is angry at me?" He asks while looking right into my eyes with a frown on his face.

We stop walking when we are over the small bridge and I kneel in front of him.

"Toby, Karen is just a little stressed because The Chickens are coming tonight. Your mummy costume was really great and I think you did a good job at it. Maybe you could wear real clothes when you decide to disguise yourself next time, okay?" I tell him while pinching his cheeks softly.

We have both agreed to call Karen's club, who come every last Sunday of the month, The Chickens. First, when they talk, they do not calmly converse with one another. They speak all at once. It sounds just like cackling chickens. And second, they determine their hierarchy like chickens. Chickens pick each other to decide the hierarchy. The order between The Chickens is decided by knowledge. Whoever has the most valuable, shameful gossip earns the most prestige.

Toby and I have both have our own reasons to avoid them. When they see Toby, they always pinch and kiss his chubby cheeks. When they see me, they interrogate me. About everything a girl my age has and should do and what I clearly lack. Karen tries to come to our aid, but she's only one woman against a dozen.

Meanwhile Toby is laughing while I mimic the pinching 'the chickens' tend to do to him.

"Alright, alright." He manages to answer while trying to pat my hands away.

"And curtains do not count as clothing." I add before the thought would cross his mind.

"Okay Sarah, can I go and play with Merlin in the snow now?" He is almost bouncing on his feet while asking this.

Merlin barks happily at this. I pretend to think about it and they both start to give me the 'puppy look'.

"Alright, alright, just stay close." I do not want go search them in a park with a surface around 20 hectares. Talk about looking for a needle in a haystack.

"We will! Come on Merlin!" Toby shouts while he is already running with the sheep dog on his heels.

"And don't go sit on his back, Toby!" I shout back.

"Why not?" He responds. Toby has come to the age where you question everything, really everything, with a simple 'why'.

I breath in and quickly think for a reason that sounds logical to him.

"Because, first of all, He isn't wearing a saddle. Second, only special trained dogs for the SDA Secret Service can be mounted. A normal dog like Merlin, hasn't gotten the right training. The way to get in the SDA Secret Service is a mystery." I clarify.

"Wow..." He answers with his mouth slightly open. Yeah, logical...

"The point is that Merlin is not suitable to mount." I remind him. "Look, I just saw a giant squirrel at the big oak tree!" A distraction might help me from facing an examination of questions that could possibly follow. Besides, Toby doesn't know that squirrels are not very often seen in the winter.

And it works.

Within two seconds he is running at the tree with Merlin.

The thought of Toby riding Merlin does remind me of a furry, little knight on his loyal steed. How could any living being not have smelled the nauseating scent of the Bog of Eternal Stench? That must have been one of the reasons that the Goblin King hired Sir Didymus to protect the bridge. But Sir Didymus is also very loyal and even went as far as to protect the bridge from intruders with his own life. And there is the catch. He couldn't let anyone cross the bridge without his permission, so all you have got to do is ask. It's like my mother used to tell me.' Before you ask, all you have is a no. But if you take the chance to ask, then there is the possibility of getting a yes. So what's there to lose?'

I have kept contact with my friends of the Labyrinth. Grumpy but sweet Hoggle, loveable and big Ludo, brave and honorable Sir Didymus. Unfortunately, it has been a while since I have talked to them. I don't think my roommate would appreciate it if I had company that comes from a magical kingdom through my mirror. I should definitely talk to them during the vacation. I would probably have thought everything was just a dream, four years ago, if it wasn't for them.

"What are you smiling about, Sarah?" The voice of Toby awakes me out of my thoughts. My mind sure goes astray a lot today. And it's just 11 o'clock. Keep focused, Sarah! You are guarding Toby! I see that Toby is standing in front of me, with his head to one side. A habit he learned from Merlin, I presume.

"I was just thinking about some old friends that I haven't seen in a while." I simply reply the truth .

He reflects on my words." Daddy says that true friends stay friends, no matter what." Toby manages to say with a little smile on his face.

I let it sink in for a while before answering. "That's very wise of dad to say."

"Yeah." Toby responds. A comfortable quietness follows.

However, it only lasted for five seconds.

"But what if your friends get kidnapped by aliens, or if they get turn into zombies, Or if they get bewitched into cookies by an evil sorcerer?" Toby asks bluntly.

Trust me Toby. It's more likely that they get into trouble with the Goblin King.

"Toby." I console him while putting my hand on his shoulder. "Nothing of that sort will happen to them." There is one thing I'm wondering about."Toby, why would an evil sorcerer turn them into cookies?"

"Why wouldn't he like cookies?" He answers like it is totally obvious that everybody must love cookies.

The boy sure has an answer to all your questions. "You have a point there." I answer. Suddenly, I become aware of the fact that we are overlooking something.

"Toby, where is Merlin?"

**The SDA secret Service : The Sir Didymus and Ambrosius secret Service.**

**A conscious decision of Sarah, or not. You decide.**


	5. A bad idea

**CHAPTER FOUR: A bad idea**

**Again, all rights to the Labyrinth and the characters do not belong to me.**

"Merlin! Merlin, come here boy!" I shout.

Toby and I have been looking for about an hour, but we still haven't found a trail of Merlin. God, I hope we find him soon because my feet are freezing!

Toby isn't faring any better, he is getting more and more nervous by the minute.

"Merlin!" He shouts. "Where would he go? He has never run away before." Toby ads silently.

"He is probably chasing a bird or snuffling at trees. We will find him, I promise." I try to sound hopeful, but my voice sounds a little doubtful never the less. I cannot just tell him that Merlin might be lost in the woods or worse. No, stay positive Sarah!

But we cannot keep searching here forever. "Look, If we haven't found him in half an hour we go home and report him as missing. I know you want to stay here until we have found him, but by getting sick we will get nowhere. We will report him as missing so people can help us finding him." I tell Toby.

Toby seems very reluctant at the idea of giving. He opens his mouth three times as if to object but it seems that he also knows that we cannot stay here forever. Dad and Karen would call the police for sure if we aren't back in an hour. Toby finally sighs in defeat "forty-five minutes or we go to the police." He answers while sticking his hand out at to seal the deal.

"Deal" I agree and I shake his hand once.

thirty-five minutes have already passed, but still no sign of Merlin.

"This is hopeless." I mutter, while kicking a stone. This is not fa... No, I am not going to finish that sentence. Let's face it. Life is not fair and sometimes, your dog might choose to run away. But it's all part of life, a reasonable part of me says.

Well it does not make it any more fun! Damn! This is not a good moment to start a quarrel with myself.

"Merlin!" I shout one last time. My throat starts to hurt a little bit. I will not admit it to Toby because he would get more nervous, but I am worried for Merlin. I love that dog dearly. He has been my companion and only friend in time of need.

The sound of screaming resounds through the trees. "Sarah! Come quick!" I run as fast as I can to the source, Toby. When I arrive after only thirty seconds, I see my little brother hunched over the ground about ten feet ahead of me.

Slightly panting, I say his name. Toby turns around like a whirlpool. His eyes are the size of saucers and I can see that he is clutching something between his tiny hands. "What have you found?" I ask quietly. He does not answer or respond in any way. I ask him again after five seconds, only a little louder.

"I found his collar by this rock." He whispers to me, which I only hear because I have stepped closer to him so there is only one foot between us. I kneel in front of him and give him a big hug.

I speak to him while rubbing his back with one hand. "Toby, that doesn't mean anything has happened to him." I continue speaking while I wipe out a tear that escaped his watering eyes. He is a brave kid, but he has a soft heart and Merlin is very dear to him as well. "This could mean we are on the right track and maybe Merlin is close by." I look into his eyes and give him a reassuring smile. Another tear rolls on his cheek but he give a small smile back. "Come on. I promised you, didn't I?" He nods while I take his hand into mine. Toby wipes away his tears with his arm.

Suddenly a thought hit me. If Merlin was here, his prints must be in the snow where we are standing now. If we follow the prints, bingo!

"Toby, I've got a plan. If we follow his footprints in the snow, we may find Merlin. So let's see if we can find them." I explain. He doesn't need any more explaining. His nose is practically to the ground, searching for the traces in the snow. Why didn't I think of this any sooner? It might have saved us time.

I join Toby and not much later, we find what we were looking for. After following the path for five minutes , we end at an oak tree. Nothing special you would say if there wasn't a hole in front of it. A big hole.

And the traces have stopped just in front of it.

Why do I have this 'déjà vu' feeling? Oh yeah, right. Because I have been falling into a pitch black hole for the last four years in my dreams.

"Let's go." Toby says while he prepares himself to crawl into it.

"Whoa!" I utter when I put him back on his feet in front of me. "Toby, we cannot just crawl into a hole. We have to think about this before we undertake action."

"Come on, Sarah! It's just a hole and we have to get Merlin back!" He replies agitated. With that he sets of into the hole before I can stop him.

"Toby get back here!" I shout, with no effect.

I take a few minutes to think about what would be the best thing to do. I could get help, but I cannot leave Toby behind. Definitely not while he is down there. Grumbling, I prepare myself to crawl into it. "And so, Alice went into the rabbit hole." I mumble. This is a bad idea, this is a very bad idea!

The hole is just five and a half feet deep. I slide in it and see that there is a tunnel connected to it. The tunnel itself seems endless because of the darkness. I have to bend over slightly to be able to walk through it. "Toby!" I call out to the darkness. No answer. I feel something small running past my feet. Please be a mouse, please be an innocent, little mouse I pray in my head. The path keeps going downwards, steeper and steeper. I am about to stop when I feel that I might slip away downwards, until I trip over something small. I try to hold on to anything, but I slide away. "AAAH!" Is all I manage to scream while gliding downwards with a speed that seems to increase by the second. Great, the déjà vu's just keep piling up today. First the hole, than this glide. What's next? A landing on the Bog of Eternal Stench?! The thought was quickly wiped out of my mind by the fear and just a little excitement of the ride. And just like in the dream, I was fearing and hoping the moment I would come at the end of the ride.

I seems like I do not have to wait very long for that moment. I feel that I am losing speed and I can finally see an end to this tunnel. The bad news is that I might land after a flight through the air because there is a ramp at the end. I try to stop before the ramp but it's pointless. One moment I am in the air, the next I am face down on the ground. "ouch ouch ouch..." I manage to whimper. There is no time to recover, because the next I know, my nose gets invaded by the most vile, nasty, nauseating and familiar smell. My eyes shut open and I recognize my surrounding immediately.

I have landed in the Bog of Eternal Stench. Let me repeat that. I have landed in the Bog of Eternal Stench. Again. Well, fortunately I didn't land in the bog. I landed on a little surface like last time.

"Oh come on!" I scream in agony with my hands in the air. Big mistake. The smell and the previous ride are too much for my body to handle at once. Before I can stop it, I vomit.

I had hoped to never ever smell this foul stink again since the last time I was here, on my way to the Goblin Castle to save Toby. Toby! I look around, but there is no sign of him, Merlin or any living creature. I decide to wrap my scarf over my mouth and nose. I can still smell the bog, but it helps a little bit none the less. Okay, let's put everything on a row. I am back in the labyrinth. More specifically, I am surrounded by the Bog of Eternal Stench without any company and my brother and dog are here, but nowhere to be seen.

I'm screwed.

Keep it together Sarah, Toby needs you. At least you didn't wish him away this time. But I know I cannot get out of here without any help. But what creature in his right mind would could possibly be here. You have to be crazy to go here on your own free will or your nose must be out of order. _'Stench, what stench? Of what speakest thou? I smell nothing. The air is sweet and fragrant._' Yes, Sir Dydimus! All I have to do is find him. Who else would know the bog better than him. He has pledged that no one may cross the bridge without his permission, so my best guess is that he is still there. A couple of months after I won Toby back, Sir Dydimus told me that the Goblin King had ordered to build a new bridge there. I pity the goblins who had the endure the smell while building the bridge.

All I have to do is find the bridge. How big can the bog be?

Quite large it turned out to be. After almost falling in the bog, four times at least, I finally set eyes on what seems to be a bridge. It definitely looks more stable than the previous one. But what would you expect with a bridge that stood for a thousand years, but couldn't stand ten seconds four years ago.

I come closer and see that Sir Dydimus is pacing in front of it. He certainly doesn't look very happy.

As if hearing me approach he turns to face me. "Halt! None shall p..." He seems to realize it's me and as smile appears on his face. "Milady! Thou hast returned!" He bows and I smile at him. Always the gentleman.

But no matter how often he may say it, I am not a lady. I kneel in front of him and give him a big hug, just like I previously did with Toby. The happiness of seeing him is a bit overwhelming. "I am so glad to see you Sir Dydimus." I whisper.

He seems a bit flustered by my display of emotions. Is that a blush? I never knew that a fox could blush, but he isn't an ordinary fox of course. He hugs me back for a second and then rasps his throat.

"Milady, those are no manners for a lady." He speaks out, the little blush gone.

I give him a gentle smile. "But how else should I approach you Sir Dydimus? You are my friend after all." I ask him in return.

"Mmmh. Thou speakest the truth, Milady. Therefore shall I greet you with a kiss on the hand from now on." He replies while giving me a peck on the hand. He seems to remember where we are. "But Milady, may I enquire about the reason why thou art back here? Hast thou whished another brother away?" He asks. He appears to enjoy the idea of another quest. "Let's save him! I shall call my trusty steed!" The knight calls out.

I put my hands in front of him to call his attention. I don't want to talk too much in here. Sir Dydimus might think it smells good in here, but I do certainly not." Sir Dydimus, I haven't wished anyone away. But I am searching for my little brother Toby and our dog Merlin. Toby and I were searching for Merlin and we ended up here by some sort of tunnel. Toby went ahead of me and I didn't see him when I arrived here." I take a breath and continue. "Please good Sir, might it be that you have seen him?" Oh God! The stench!

"A small little lad with blue eyes and blonde hair and a dog that looks just like Ambrosius?" He asks.

Victory! "Yes! that's Toby and Merlin! Where did they go?" I ask urgently.

"Well I granted them and their travelling companions the passage across the bridge." He replies

**Wow this is clearly a bit of a longer chapter. The hole is a very clear indication to Alice in Wonderland.**

**I hope you all liked it. Reviews are always appreciated.**


	6. There is no stench like home

**CHAPTER FIVE: There is no stench like home**

**Wow, It has been almost a week since my last update. Yeah, blame school. I cannot promise that I will update regularly.**

Confusion. That's the first feeling that sets in. What does he mean by travelling companions? It cannot promise anything good, that's for sure. Karen and dad always tell us not to talk to strangers and going with those strangers certainly isn't any better. But Toby should know this, so I think my little brother is in a lot of trouble.

Sam Henry Ivy Toby!

"Sir Didymus." I ask puzzled and worried. "What do you mean by travelling companions? I didn't see anyone when I ended up back here or on my way to see you." No, it was the smell that welcomed me instead.

He looks a little baffled at my statement. "Art thou certain Milady? There have been more visitors here recently than in...Well a goodly length in times past. Perhaps they come to admire the beauteous landscape or to enjoy the sweet air." He ponders with a lovingly gaze around the bog.

He cannot be serious. Nope, he is dead serious. The poor knight must have inhaled too much toxics from the bog, which reminds me that I really have to get out of here. This may be an idyllic landscape with a fresh odor to Sir Didymus. But I prefer swimming in a sewer over staying here any longer.

"Please Sir Didymus, can we talk about this anywhere else?" The words come out of my mouth very quick and I shut my mouth immediately after saying said words.

"If Milady insist."He answers politely. I am almost on the bridge when the voice Sir Didymus makes me halt just in front of it. "

"Halt! No one may pass without my permission!" He declares. The knight returns to his bravado as guard of the bridge. All traces of our earlier conversation seem to have disappeared. If I didn't know any better I would say that he has amnesia.

I raise my eyebrow at him. Do we really have to go through this again? "May I have your permission?" Again If I may say so. Fortunately for me, he doesn't need a long time to ponder over his response.

"You may." He answers while stepping aside so I can cross the bridge.

I place one foot cautiously on the bridge. It may seem very solid, but I would rather not dangle into the air again. Sir Didymus seems to acknowledge my hesitation.

"Don't worry Milady. This bridge is as solid as the last one." He tells me proudly while tapping a stone of the bridge with his dress sword. I turn around to look at him in agony. My amnesia theory is getting more real by the minute.

Realization dawns on his face. He laughs nervously for a second. "I do mean before it passed the age of a thousand years, Milady. Verily it is so. There is no need to fear now." Sir Didymus says encouraging. But the memory of me clutching a branch and almost falling in the bog stops me from going any further.

Get a grip Sarah. Toby needs me and I want to breathe freely. I should be more courageous than this. If I can defeat a certain Goblin Kings game than I can cross this small bridge as well.

I take a small breath and hurry over the bridge. Once I am on the other side of the bridge it feels like the smell has vanished like frost under the morning sun. I hadn't noticed it before but it is quite warm in here. I open my coat and put my scarf on the ground. There is no need for that anymore, but I might need my coat later.

Sir Didymus comes soon after me over the bridge without any hesitation. "Well, where were we?" Sir Didymus asks me.

"You were saying that there have been more visitors here than before." I explain to him. It sure is a lot easier to talk when you are not under the attack of a constant stink while breathing in.

"Ah yes indeed." He answers while taking his chin in his hand. The well known 'I am thinking' position. "I cannot recall when it started my fair lady, but I have had the chance to enact my position of guarding the passage and to fulfill my duty every day. It is marvelous!" He adds with delight. The joy fades from his face. "But to my displeasure, there are only few that do not ask my permission." A frown has formed itself on his face. I guess he just likes a good swordfight once in a while and thereby protecting his oath. He is a knight after all.

With the information of Sir Didymus I can confirm two things. One, this whole situation is very odd. And two, those visitors must be out of their mind to come here! I hardly think that they would come here solely for the company of Sir Didymus. I love that little knight very dearly as my friend, but the bog...Well it is the Bog of Eternal Stench.

"Sir Didymus, can you describe what they looked like." I inquire.

"They all looked quite like one another, nothing out of the ordinary. But every single one of them was wearing a peculiar mask. For what reason, I do not know Milady." He answers honestly. Those masks they were wearing must be some sort of gasmasks. So they can manage to come here without having the 'sweet and fragrant air' making them sick to the bones. I would really appreciate one of those the next time I end up here. Toby would really like to disguise himself with one of those masks, like a soldier or anything else he can come up with.

Toby. "Euh, Sir Didymus, was my brother wearing such a mask?" I ask.

"I do not recall that the little lad wore a mask. He did have a pale color on his face and it seemed like he was perspiring." He replies. Poor Toby, he has a bit of a sensitive stomach.

That reminds me that Sir Didymus didn't stop the people who clearly abducted Toby and Merlin. "Please Sir, why didn't you stop them?" I ask confused and aggravated.

He answers without missing a beat. "Milady, it is my oath that none shall pass without my permission, but they asked for my permission right away in a polite manner and so it was my duty to grant them access. The little lad was not bonded at all and there was no way of knowing that he was taken prisoner." He answers in a way that makes me understand his point of view.

There is no point in being mad or anything. It's in the past and I do understand why he did it. We can only waste more precious time by waiting here. "Sir Didymus, would you mind going with me to get Toby back? Please noble Sir, you are the only one who knows which way they went." The prospect of a new search must be enough to persuade him.

His reaction is clear enough.

"Aha! Finally a new quest!" He calls out loud." I would be most delighted to help you Milady. I shall summon Ambrosius. Ambrosius, come my loyal steed!"

It appears that Ambrosius has no intention of coming to his master because he stays out of sight and hearing.

Sir Didymus raises his voice after having enough of his dog's behavior."Come hither this instant Ambrosius!" Shaking and howling softly, Ambrosius comes into eyesight and runs to Sir Didymus. "That's a good boy." Sir Didymus praises Ambrosius while mounting him. "Onwards Milady, I shall lead the way."

And so we march. The only members missing are Hoggle and Ludo to complete the fellowship like last time.

I wonder how they are. "Have you seen Ludo or Hoggle recently." I ask Sir Didymus.

He turns his attention to me. "I have not seen Sir Ludo or Sir Hoggle in many months now Milady." He answers.

A lot can happen in a couple of months.

**And that is the end of this chapter. You have probably noticed that Sir Didymus speaks like a medieval knight in the movie so I tried to put that here as well. Until the next chapter! **


	7. Sticks and stones

**CHAPTER SIX: Sticks and stones**

**Hello everyone. I know I took my time to post a new chapter, but I had a difficult time deciding in which direction I would go from here. The story isn't really T- rated at this point, maybe a little bit for language. You will just have to wait a tad longer. Besides, the moment His Majesty the Goblin King makes his entrance, any story should become T - rated (you know why). It's a mystery how Labyrinth made it as a kids movie, even though there was a PG - rating. Once again, the Labyrinth and its characters do not belong to me. No more talking and back to the story!**

"This is hopeless." I tell out loud to myself and Sir Didymus . The aggravation and weariness are dripping off my voice and a yawn manages to escape my mouth.

Who knows how long we have been looking for a trace that might lead us to Toby. At first, Sir Didymus could tell me which way they went. But after a while, it became more and more clear that we are getting nowhere. The sun is descending towards the horizon, illuminating the sky for the last time today. Soon the moon will glow upon us, making sure that we are not confined in the haunting and omnipresent darkness.

Sir Didymus hasn't lost his optimistic mood. One cannot say that this knight doesn't enjoy a little adventure now and then. "We cannot lose hope Milady. I am certain that we will find the little lad in no time." He answers me fully convinced of his response.

And I am certain that we should find a safe place to sleep. Wandering in these woods in the middle of the night? No thank you very much. A coward or not, I would rather not have a meeting with the creatures that live here. Not everyone in this place is like Ludo, Sir Didymus or Hoggle. Who knows what lurks behind the trees and bushes.

Like… the Fireys!

Blasted creatures! I asked Hoggle who they were when we were talking through the mirror in my bedroom at home. Alright, they weren't exactly vicious creatures or anything evil. But they just didn't get the clue that my head belongs on my neck, just like all my other limbs belong to be attached to my body.

It is starting to cool down rather quick and I am grateful that I kept my coat after all. "Maybe we should spend the night here?" I ask Sir Didymus. " It has been a long walk after all. We can think of a plan after a night's rest." We are standing nearby a spot that is somewhat shielded and secluded thanks to the surrounding trees and bushes. That should do the job of keeping us out of the open view.

"If that is thy wish Milady, then we will camp here and save thy brother once more after regaining our energy." Sir Didymus replies while he dismounts Ambrosius. The dog appears to be very happy that he can stop carrying Sir Didymus. He drops to the ground in an instant and after only a couple of seconds, he's snoring like a pig. The cold doesn't seem to bother him. I wish I had a fur too, just for now. I do realize that it might be better not to say that out loud. You never know.

I have no idea how the low the temperature may drop here at night, so we should better start to make a fire. Yes, I actually know how to make a fire in a couple of ways. My father taught me that. But that was when it was just him, me and mom. We would go camping for a weekend on one of our family outings.

Happier times.

"Okay, let's get a fire started so we can heat ourselves." I say while rubbing my hands together. There is a catch of course. There are several options to make a fire without matches, but you do need the right stuff.

Time to lay our supplies together. "Let's see what we've got, shall we?" I empty all my pockets and retrieve my handkerchief, a Swiss Army knife and a biscuit.

The knife was a gift from my grandmother. She gave it to me when I graduated from high school. She said 'life is like a Swiss Army knife. There are many ways you can use it and there is always a way to solve your problems' . Odd, but inspiring at the same time. I have kept it with me ever since that day. Out of reach of the curious gaze of Toby of course. And Karen for the matter.

Sir Didymus retrieves a monocle. For his right eye I assume. That's it. He only has an inner pocket in his vest.

That will have to do to make a fire. Alright, think fast Sarah. "Okay, I will need dry leafs, stones and a lot of dry wood." I tell Sir Didymus. It is not ideal, but it could work. " Do you by any chance know where we could find water?" If anything goes wrong, we should at least be able to put out the fire. But a dry throat also reminds me that I am getting thirsty.

"But of course Milady. I know these wood like the back of my hand." He responds with a proud smile.

"Well then, I will gather the supplies to make the fire. Could you get the water please?" I ask. "Sir Didymus, I am sorry but I have nothing bring the water here."

"Thou mustn't fret about that Milady." He responds. " And I shall order Ambrosius to accompany and protect thou."

I look at the sleeping dog who is snoring fairly loud and I raise my eyebrows. If this dog can save me or even himself than I am the Easter Bunny. He is a sweet and playful dog, but a protector? Being courageous is not how I would describe him, at all.

"I appreciate it, but I will be just fine." Before he can object I go on. "Really Sir Didymus, I can protect myself. We should hurry because the sun will set soon." He doesn't seem very happy that I will be unprotected, but he starts to walk in the direction of a water resource never the less.

It takes me only five minutes to find everything I need. When I get back at our camp, there is no sign of Sir Didymus yet and Ambrosius hasn't moved from his spot. I start to make the fire which is rather difficult now the sun is almost fully under the horizon.

I lay the stones in a circle, put some of the dry leafs and branches in the middle of it and I notch in a soft, flat piece of wood with the Swiss Army knife. I take a hard stick and start to whirl it in the notch cut to produce heat. The process is exhausting because I have to whirl it as fast as I can. After an endless moment the sawdust begins to glow. I blow softly on it and take the dry leaves to fire them up.

Yes! At least something goes according to plan today. I place the now burning leafs in the circle. The dry sticks start to catch fire slowly and we have a real camp fire at last. Not a moment to late since it's pitch black right now.

I hear a sound coming from the bushes. Having nothing useful to defend myself, I take a fighting stance. I have no real experience in combat. I will just have to imagine that I am John McClane fighting terrorists. A piece of cake.

Sir Didymus appears moments later out of the bushes carrying something that looks like a giant cocoa bean cut in half. Abandon mission, back to being Sarah Williams. A girl that is once again back in the Underground. Reliving the search for her little brother all over again.

Fighting those terrorists seems quite tempting all of a sudden.

"Good evening Milady." Sir Didymus greets me and gives me the strange object which contains water.

"Thank you Sir Didymus! Are you sure you don't want to drink first?" I ask. It would be only fair.

Sir Didymus shakes his head. "I have already quenched my thirst dear Lady Sarah." He responds.

I ask no further and drink until it is half empty. There is no need to drink everything at once and I have two travelling companions to consider.

"What sort of shell is this Sir Didymus." I ask.

" A nutshell Milady. Surely thou hast seen these before in the Aboveground?" He replies astonished.

"No, I haven't. They probably only grow here." I answer with a skeptical look at the shell. I cannot say that my first time here has made me very fond the food here.

We stay in a comfortable silence for a while until Sir Didymus speaks. "Milady shall I take the first watch to ensure our safety?"

The tiredness of before appears to have gone away. But I am sure that it will hit me like rock later on. "No thank you. I would like to stay awake for a while. You go ahead and sleep. I will wake you up when it's your turn." I tell him. He nods and goes to Ambrosius to use him as a pillow. It is an adorable sight and reminds me of Toby and Merlin.

I take a seat against a tree nearby the fire, making myself rather comfortable there. Besides the snoring of Ambrosius and the strange whistling and peeping sound Sir Didymus produces in his sleep, I am accompanied by silence.

The silence always makes my mind go fully working. I start to think about the things that I chose to ignore while being occupied by a task. Thoughts of Toby, mom, dad, my past experience with the Labyrinth and even the Goblin King himself come across my mind. I wonder if that glittery-tight breeches-king knows I am here. Surely not...right? I would be lying if I said that he hasn't crossed my mind more than once the past four years. In a way I should be grateful to him. The search through the Labyrinth to save Toby taught me some lessons about life and made me appreciate my little brother. But that doesn't mean I forgot that he send the Cleaners on me and Hoggle or that he ordered the entire Goblin army to stop us.

Oh yes, you were quite generous Goblin King.

But thinking about Toby consumes me with guilt. It is my fault he got here. twice. I did not actually wish him away this time, but I am sure that it is not a coincidence.

I place my head in my hands. "I'm sorry Tobs." I whisper hoping he could hear me somehow.

My thoughts are interrupted when I feel that Mother Nature is calling. I stand up and go a little further into the woods to empty my bladder. I am just on my way back to the camp when the earth starts to tremble. I look around and see a pair of legs walking two hundred and fifty feet in front of me. Looking upwards I see the tip of something that must resemble a head just above the top of the trees.

Wasting no more time I duck behind a shrub. "Holy shit!" I mutter. The giant roars out loud. I stay behind the bushes until the earth stops quivering and the silence has returned.

When I get back at the camp after the little incident, I see that Sir Didymus and Ambrosius are still asleep at the same spot. "How can you two still be sleeping after that?" I wonder out loud. I add some wood to the fire and go back to where I sat before.

The snoring is surprisingly calming. It reminds me that I am not one my own. I manage to stay awake for a couple of hours but my eyes keep shutting on their own accord. Time to sleep.

I wake Sir Didymus up by gently shaking him. His eyes fly open and he looks around very alert.

"Would you mind if I went to sleep now?" I ask him.

His eyes turn soft and he gives me a smile. "But of course Milady. I shall guard us with my life." He declares. he strides forwards and puts his one foot on a stump while looking around for any possible danger.

I lay myself on the ground and put my arms under my head

Within a few seconds sleep overpowers me.

**This chapter is longer than I thought it would be. I hope you enjoyed it!**


	8. Live the dream

**CHAPTER SEVEN: Live the dream**

**I am really sorry it took me so long to update a new chapter. First, I got sick and shortly after that, I went abroad. For all the American readers. When you read football, it's what you call soccer.**

_It is a beautiful summer day and there is not a single cloud in the sky. I am with my little brother, Toby, in the park and we are playing football. Our dad is participating as the goal keeper between two small trees, while Karen is reading a novel on a bench._

_I am in the possession of the ball and I' heading straight towards the goal with it. "Come on Toby!" Dad shouts to Toby whom is sprinting towards me in an attempt to claim the football._

_Being the nice big sister that I am, I slow down a bit so he can almost close the gap between us. _

_We are nearing the goal when Toby takes the ball away sideways. He stops just in front of the goal, swings his right leg and scores while dad dives dramatically to the other side of the goal._

_"Goal!" Toby shouts with his fists in the air. _

_Dad steps out of the goal and takes Toby on his shoulder. "Well done Tobs." He tells Toby while playfully ruffling my hair. I pat his hand away with a small smile. We don't see him very often. But I cannot tell him how much I miss the time when I was his little princess who got a kiss every night before she went to sleep. "Maybe one day you will become a professional football player." He continues while we walk towards Karen._

_Toby frowns at this. "I don't want to be a professional football player when I'm older." he retorts self-assured "I want to be a king!" Dad gives me a look that says 'What have you been telling him?' _

_I just shrug my shoulders. Innocent till proven guilty! _

_We sit down. Dad picks a seat next to Karen on the bench, while Toby sits down on the grass next to me. I put my arm around Toby's shoulder and he cuddles against my side. Nobody speaks. I welcome the silence, it is peaceful and comforting. But being the five-year old he is, Toby breaks the silence first with a question. "Will you tell me a story, Sarah?" I give a sigh and respond to his request. "Toby, I tell you a story every night before you go to sleep." _

_The tone of his voice makes it clear that it is not a solid argument. "Yes, so?"_

_"So aren't you getting tired of hearing me telling you stories every day?"_

_He shakes his head heavily. "No." The next thing I know, Toby is playing the ultimate card. He gives me the puppy-look. "Please, please, please, please!" He whines._

_"Fine!" I say in surrender. _

_"Yes!" Toby proclaims in victory and he makes himself comfortable in front of me. Should a toddler ever have such a satisfied smile of victory on his face?_

_Sitting in the cross-legged position with his head held by his hands, he stares attentive at me. Waiting for me to begin._

_I ponder on which story I shall tell him this time. "How that story about the little man that lived on the moon? You liked that one." I suggest._

_"Yes, but I'd like to hear something new. A story that you have never told me before." He answers. I cannot stop the first thought that comes into my mind. Indeed, I have never told Toby the story of what really happened with the girl that landed in the Labyrinth to save her little brother from the Goblin King. But what harm could it really do if I did tell him the event. He could never guess that it was me who wished him away. And even if he miraculously found out, it is not like he would hate me or wish for the goblins to take me away. Right! Right?_

_"What's the Labyrinth, Sarah?" Shit! I must have said something out loud while I was thinking. To tell or not to tell, that is the question. _

_I sigh and begin to speak. "The labyrinth is a place ruled by the Goblin King." _

_"Is he a good king?" Toby interrupts me. _

_"Toby, remember what I told you about interrupting people when they are speaking?" I simply respond to him in return. _

_He nods his head and raises his hand._

_I point at him. "Yes Mr. Williams?" He repeats his previous question and If I have to be honest, I do not know the answer to that question. If you would have asked me the same question four years ago, my answer would have been simple. I would have told you that he is an evil king, a typical villain. But now, I can see and understand things that my fifteen-year-old- self could not. _

_There is no such thing as pure evil or good. He took Toby because I wished him away and he did give me a chance to get Toby back. Would a totally vicious person do that? No. He was the villain I wanted him to be, because that is how a story was supposed to go. Good beats evil, the heroine defeats the villain. _

_I was foolish to think like that and I refrain from telling good versus bad to Toby. But he keeps hearing stories like Snow White in preschool. _

_When I eventually answer his question, I neither lie nor do I reply completely. "He is...complicated." Toby, not satisfied with my answer of course, makes a move to ask further. But I speak before he can begin his first sentence. _

_"Look Tobs, do you want me to tell you about the Labyrinth or not?" He nods his head fervently and stays silent. Nice job myself, now I have to tell him about it. When did I stop to think before I say something? _

_"As I just said, the Labyrinth is ruled by the Goblin King. He lives in the castle beyond the Goblin City, surrounded by his subjects. One day, a girl had to babysit her baby brother against her will. The baby screamed and screamed for reasons the girl did not know. Having had enough of the screaming, she wished for the goblins to take away the baby from her. Her wish was granted."_

_A lump has forced itself into my throat at the memory. I have to take a deep breath before I continue._

_"The Goblin King appeared in front of her in full regalia."_

_Toby frowns. "What does full regelaia mean?" Toby ask confused._

_I think about it for a couple of seconds while I envisage the outfit. "It's just a big, fancy word for official or royal clothing." Though I'm not sure how those tights would ever be seen as royal here._

_Toby nods in understanding and I continue the story_

_"__The girl regretted her wish, even though she meant the words, the moment they left her mouth. She asked the Goblin King to return her baby brother. He denied at first and then offered the girl her dreams, but only if she would forget the baby. The girl was tempted by his offer. Who wouldn't be when you're offered your most ardent desires. Yet she refused. The wish to get her brother back was stronger than his poisoned apple. _

_The king was not amused by this, but the girl insisted that she wanted her brother back. He gave her an ultimatum. If she would solve the Labyrinth in thirteen hours, she would save her brother from being turned into a goblin. _

_And so she began her journey, made new friends, found her baby brother and saved him just in time. The end! Wow look at the time! Where are dad and Karen all of a sudden?" I try to get up, but Toby pulls at my arm._

_"Sarah!" He whines. "What about her adventure through the Labyrinth? What happened in those thirteen hours?" She landed in an oubliette and danced with the king himself for example. "There's no time for that now Toby." I get up and look around for Karen and dad, but they are nowhere to be seen._

_"Sarah." Toby calls my name just loud enough for me to hear. "Yes Toby?" I answer absentmindedly, while trying to reason where my father and stepmother could have gone._

_His next question makes my heart skip a beat. "Would you ever wish me away?" _

_I do not immediately turn around to face him. But when I do, after making sure that my facial expression is as neutral as possible, I know that I could never forgive myself if I lied to him. It would be easy to lie and he would never know about it, but I just cannot do it. _

_I swallow and answer him. "I wouldn't do it again."_

_He frowns. "What do you mean, again?"_

_"I'm the girl who wished her brother away, Toby. I wished you away!" The words fall out of my mouth like they had been waiting for the moment I would finally saythem. But I wish that I could have lied, I wish that I never told him about the Labyrinth. The look on his face breaks my heart. Sadness, anger and betrayal are al displayed on his face._

_"Why haven't you told me this before? I thought you loved me?!" He raises his voice, the anger starting to win over the sadness and betrayal. I kneel in front when I reply. "Of course I love You Toby! I was just a stupid little girl. Please try to understand!" I place both my hands on his shoulders, but he shakes them off. A clap of thunder roars and I realize that is has become quit clouded._

_"No! You wouldn't have done it if you really did care about me! After all, I'm just your half-brother!" He declares angrily. If I didn't know better I would say that a demon stood in front of me in the body of Toby._

_"Toby, please." I begin, but he stops me mid-sentence. "Maybe I should wish you away?! "_

_Another loud thunderclap echoes through the sky. _

_This is getting completely out of control! "Toby no! Please listen to me!" I plead. I want to get closer to him, but my body is not responding. It feels like he is getting further away from me and I cannot do a bloody thing about it!_

_The tone of his voice is nothing like I have ever heard before. "I wish..."_

**Dum dum dum! **


	9. A path has many bends and turns

**CHAPTER EIGHT: A path has many bends and turns**

**Aah a new chapter. It has been just over three months since I first published this story. They grow up so fast! I have a general idea of how the story is going to develop from here on but I have no idea what the eventual length of the story will be. Once again, I own nothing related to Labyrinth. Such a pity.**

"WOOF!"

"AAH!" I yell and my eyes fly open to see Ambrosius his snout mere inches away from my face. I open my mouth to ask what the heck is going on, but Ambrosius decides that a loud bark is not enough to ensure that I have truly awoken. He licks my face several times, before I manage to get n my feet. When I am standing on my two feet, I see that Sir Didymus is sitting near the fire.

He rises from his spot and approaches me and Ambrosius. "Well done Ambrosius!" He praises his steed. "Thou hast awoken our fair Lady." And how. It is like yesterday morning all over again.

I glance at Sir Didymus. Keep calm Sarah, he means well. "Hello Sir Didymus." My voice sounds remarkably calm and only a little bit grumpy.

"I have found us some breakfast Milady!" He says merrily.

The horror! He has found peaches! Of all the food in the world, especially this world, he had to find peaches. Why? Answer me universe!

Sir Didymus is oblivious of my inner turmoil and hands two peaches over to me. "Thank you Sir Didymus." I manage to answer weakly. The biscuit is not an option since I gave it to Ambrosius, so that leaves me with two options. Eat the thing that I promised to never eat again under any circumstance or starve to death . Alright, I wouldn't really starve to death just yet, but I would get pretty hungry.

My stomach rumbles as if to vote for the latter. Forget the dilemma between the hart and the mind, a hungry belly has no ears.

Let's just go for the short pain. I quickly take a bite, chew and swallow. I wait a while to see if any symptoms might occur. Well, that wasn't so bad. I'm not drugged and it tastes quite good. The rest of the first peach is quickly consumed, followed by the second peach.

Time to start to think of a plan. "Okay, are you ready to brainstorm Sir Didymus?" He looks at me like I just asked him if he wanted to marry Ambrosius.

"I am not sure what thou meant by that, but maybe we should think of a plan to save thou brother first?" Should I tell him that I just said that? No, let's just roll along.

"Yes, indeed. That's a marvelous idea." I answer with only a little bit of sarcasm.

We have been sharing ideas for over half an hour now. Unfortunately, we cannot come to an agreement. My final idea was that we should go to Hoggle. That grumpy dwarf is smarter than many give him credit for.

The idea of Sir Didymus is...Even the thought of it makes me shiver and not in a pleasant way...to ask the Goblin King for help. I am not saying that I would rather die than ask him for help because that would be a lie. But I would rather eat the cheese sandwich that Karen found beneath Toby's bed a month ago.

She screamed at the top of her lungs.

I will just have to convince to Sir Didymus that I have no wish to see Mr. Tightpants McGlitter and I am sure that the feeling is mutual.

* * *

While we are walking in the direction of our destination, I remember my previous dream. The emotions were so real. The entire dream was a conclusion of my biggest fear and hope. The first is clearly Toby finding out about his little trip four years ago. The latter is the hope that dad will make more time for me and Toby, so we can be a real family again. As for the end of the dream, it was truly frightening. Toby looked absolutely possessed by a demon.

I stop walking without a warning and look around quietly.

"I have a feeling that we're nearly there." I tell Sir Didymus. "Why dost thou think that Milady? My eye fails to see any sign yet." My one-eyed friend answers.

I place my index finger on my lips, a non-verbal question for him to stay quiet.

We hear nothing for a couple of seconds until a voice can be heard in the background.

"twenty-two, twenty-three. Hold still you useless creature so I can spray you! Meet Hoggle the fantastic exterminator!"

A not so very elegant snort escapes my nose. "Feeling confirmed."

And so we head in the direction of Hoggle's voice, which doesn't leave much doubt about his current occupation. It doesn't take us very long until we arrive in front of the outer wall of the Labyrinth, where a gleeful Hoggle is standing in front of it, participating in his number two favorite activity.

I let him know that I am here with my question. "Still hunting down those fairies, Hoggle?" He drops his can on the ground and turns around so fast, you would think he heard the Goblin King himself. His mouth is hanging slightly open when he looks at me in shock.

When he whispers my name it is barely audible to my ears. "Sarah? No..." Nothing else happens and if I didn't know any better, I would say that Hoggle would poke me as if to prove that he is not hallucinating.

I rattle my throat to get his attention. Nothing. "Euh, ground control to major Hoggle?" I ask concerned and It seems his daze is finally wearing off.

"Sarah? Is that really you?" He asks me with a puzzled look on his face. "No, it's the Fairy Queen who has come to avenge her lost fairy subjects. Of course it's me Hoggle!" I answer with a smile. "It's nice to see you too." I ad and give him a hug. After hesitating for a couple of seconds, he embraces me as well and pats awkwardly on my back.

When we part, Ambrosius jumps at Hoggle and starts to lick his face. "Get off me!" Hoggle proclaims vigorously. He manages to get Ambrosius off him, after he threatened the poor dog by saying that he will throw him into an oubliette if he doesn't stop immediately. It sure did the job because Ambrosius is hiding behind my legs right now and I can hear his teeth trembling. Sir Didymus approaches Hoggle while the latter is cleaning his face with the sleeve of his vest.

"It is good to see thee, my brother. Art thou prepared to accompany us on our lady's quest?" Sir Didymus asks Hoggle.

"Nice to see you too Didymus. What do you mean with 'quest'?" Hoggle responds before turning to me. "Sarah, what is he talking about and what the hell are you doing here?!"

"Well you sure know how to make someone feel welcome." I retort.

"I didn't mean it like that. Of course I'm happy to see you again! It's just...Aargh, don't try to change the subject!" He says while pointing his finger accusingly at me and stamping his left foot on the ground. "Did you wish your brother away for a second time?" Hoggle asks seriously.

"Why do you both think I did something bad to get here? No I didn't wish Toby away. Not again."

"Another sibling?"

"No, neither did I do that." I answer with a sigh. "Besides, I don't have any other siblings."

With that, I tell Hoggle the story of how I came to be here. His frown deepens as I near the end of my explanation. He contemplates about what I just told him.

His next question makes my cheeks redden slightly with embarrassment. "Do you have an idea or a plan to get your brother back?" He looks at me like he already knows my answer. "Well...not really." I answer unsure. "I hoped that by finding you I would know what to do next. Hoggle, I have no idea where they have taken Toby and you know this place better than many others. Please, I need you Hoggle."

My plea makes his frown turn into a look of sympathy.

"You cannot stay here Sarah. Things have changed around here and I don't know if it's safe for you to stay here ." He looks around nervously. Like something could happen at any moment now.

"I cannot leave Hoggle! I didn't abandon my brother the first time and I am definitely not going to abandon him now." I answer firmly with my hands on my hips. And then I think about the second thing he said.

"What do you mean? What happened?"

**I think that Sarah might be a David Bowie fan. I hope everybody got the clue! If you did, grab yourself a cookie. Until the next chapter!**


	10. Something is not nothing

CHAPTER NINE: Something is not nothing

**Yes, it took me quite some time but I have an excellent excuse... I just don't know what it is yet. About this chapter, it starts in the third person point of view. Why you might ask yourself, because I can. No, I just wanted to try this out. Please let me know if you like it. If you do, this might be the first of many. Again I own nothing of Labyrinth.**

1986, the throne room of the Goblin Kings Castle.

The ground had finally stopped shaking. It ended not long after the sudden quake had begun. Goblins from all over the Goblin city came to the castle, which was half ruined by now, in need of help. But their king was nowhere to be found, neither was the latest runner. The girl who was presumably called Sarah, if one could believe the rumours. After all, rumours are spread faster than a flame in a hay bale and not always true to their word.

It was also whispered among one another that the impossible had happened, or so it was always believed to be impossible. Voices whispered that the girl had won the baby back. But this was a very fresh rumour indeed and only their king would be able to confirm it. But the brighter ones among the goblins could see the connection between the disappearance and the quake. Alas, there were very few of those goblins.

All sorts of goblins had gathered in the throne room. Families sat together, those without a family would seek comfort, sleep or chase chickens.

The longer the absence of their king continued, the more anxious the goblins became. Not even the chickens could provide as a distraction from their current situation. One goblin decided he had enough of it.

"I've had it with this waiting! If the king doesn't return this instant I will..I will...". The goblin was at loss for words after his short outburst.

"You will what?" Every single creature in the room turned towards the source of the voice and there he was. The one they had been waiting for. The Goblin King stood there in full regalia, wearing his trademark smirk. But if you looked close enough, you could see the whirlwind of emotions behind his mismatched eyes. He stepped closer towards the one who had dared to speak out, until he was mere inches away from him. With very little space between them, The Goblin King kneeled in front of his subject.

"Pray tell what you will do." He asked, while still wearing his smirk. The goblin was paralyzed by fear and knew better than to speak. So he just stared with big, fearful eyes into the two coloured eyes of his king. The latter put his hand in front of the goblins face and conjured a crystal ball, while maintaining eye contact. The Goblin King raised his eyebrows. "Nothing tra la la?" He finally stood up and glared at his subjects, daring them to finish the sentence. For once it was completely quiet in his throne room. He slowly strode towards his throne and stopped in front of it so his back was directed to the crowd. When he didn't immediately turn around, the goblins got a little confused. After a sigh he turned around and began his speech.

"Those of you who have lost their home will be helped with the reconstruction. In the meantime, you can stay in the main hall. Those of you who do not have major damage to your homes, will rebuilt the castle. Any questions?" Although this last sentence was clearly meant not to raise any questions by the tone of his voice. And yet, one was brave or foolish enough goblin raised his hand, although a very shaky hand. The goblins surrounding the particular goblin took a step aside.

The Goblin King directed his very stern gaze on the little goblin. The king didn't say that he could speak, but the goblin started anyway because he felt very uncomfortable to be the center of attention of his king.

"What about the girl, Sarah, Your Majesty? And the baby?" If looks could kill, this little goblin would be no more. But it was apparently his lucky day. The Goblin King composed himself after he nearly broke his cane and answered in an almost bored tone, even though his eyes said something completely different.

"The girl is home with her brother for that is what she has won. I will not tolerate anyone even mentioning her name, let alone her existence. Anyone foolish enough will be exiled. Everyone who is still here after two minutes will be thrown into the Bog of Eternal Stench." All the goblins in the throne room hurried away and after only one minute, the Goblin King was alone at last. His facade of stern ruler dropped after he dropped himself onto his throne. He looked around like he was viewing the room for the first time and the put his head into his hands. That was how a goblin guard found him the next morning. Head in his hands staring into the nothingness.

This was how he stayed for several months. Most of the time he would be almost in a trance. The only times he wasn't, was when he would eat, fall asleep on his throne or when he would yell at a goblin from time to time. But he hardly ate and slept at all, which became quite noticeable after a while because his shirts were too baggy and the rings under his eyes were almost permanent.

One morning it changed out of nowhere. He changed into his full regalia once again, mounted his horse and left. He didn't say where he was going, but in the evening he returned with a dead wild hog and multiple animals unknown to the Aboveground. One looked like a hybrid between a sheep and a bunny with horns.

And so he left every morning on his horse. Sometimes he came back with dead animals, other times he was completely drunk and still managed to get back to his castle safely. But he came back each night to yell some order so his kingdom wasn't completely out of control. After that he would lock himself up in his chambers.

Only once was he called by a single mother who wished her child away. He stood before her like he did with Sarah, smirking and being oh so smart. He didn't even need to offer the woman her dreams. She might have said the words on impulse, but she did mean them. After all, they all do at the moment they say those words. Only most of them regret their decision. This one did not. She was Sarah's age when she wished Toby away. She didn't have any money to take care of the little girl called Phoebe. She didn't wanted to give Phoebe up for adaption because she couldn't live with the thought of knowing that someone else was raising her baby. So she asked for the Goblin King to take her baby away, but only if he would make sure that Phoebe would be looked after. She also asked if he would wipe out any memory of Phoebe with her and anybody else who knew Phoebe, like her parents and ex-boyfriend. Maybe it was the desperation mingled with determination or the fact that she reminded him so much of her. But he did what she asked.

The Goblin King made sure that everybody who knew of Phoebe forgot all about her. Phoebe was turned into a goblin and he made sure that she was placed in a secure family who would love her as their own. The Goblin King would still leave in the morning and come back late into the evening, but sometimes he would go to see how Phoebe was doing and if she was looked after.

It took three years until things turned around once more. Other lands of the Underground had heard of the situation and decided to take advantage of it. The Goblin Kingdom and its king weren't strong enough to win the battle. The king knew this, for he and his kingdom were never the same after that faithful day years ago. But he didn't surrender. After holding his kingdom for quite a while against invasions, the king got an iron arrow in his leg. Not really deadly one might think, but the Goblin King was a Fae and iron can be fatal for the Fae if it the wound is not treated. The Labyrinth, which was connected with the wellbeing of its ruler, would fall if its king fell. The oppressor claimed the Goblin Kingdom and declared itself the new ruler of The Goblin Kingdom. The body of Jareth, the king of the Goblins was not found by his former subjects, even though they searched after the battle.

**Hope you enjoyed this different chapter. Until the next! Read and review if you want to!**


	11. The mirror does not lie

**CHAPTER TEN: The mirror does not lie**

**I have decided to write this chapter in third person as well for no apparent reason. Sorry for the late update! (again) My brain just refuses to give me any ideas once in a while.**

3rd person POV

During the entire time that Hoggle spoke about the events since she solved the Labyrinth, Sarah listened intently to every piece of information. She felt like even the smallest part, was of the upmost importance. And now that Hoggle has finished his story, she still remains quiet, almost in a trance. She opens her mouth two times before finally speaking.

"Did you know about this Sir Didymus?" Sarah asks Sir Didymus, because he had said nothing of the sort while they were on their own.

Sir Didymus shook his head. "No, I did not Milady." True to his word, Sir Didymus had no idea of what had happened outside his precious bog. It's not that he never visited his friends Ludo and Hoggle, but time passes different for him. A year could seem like only a month to him. And it was all due to the Bog of Eternal Stench. The place where he was born and bred. The toxics had made his sense of time to what it is right now.

The only change he had seen, was the increasing amount of 'intruders' in the Bog of Eternal Stench. But this fact pleased him immensely, because he could do what he had sworn to do more frequently than before.

Sarah moves her head to look at Hoggle. "Why didn't you tell me all of this sooner?" Sarah asks her friend with a sad frown.

Hoggle shifts nervously on his spot. "I did try once when you were at college, but….It didn't work out to well."

Sarah thinks about Hoggle's answer. She didn't remember seeing her friend in the mirror when she was at college. But it wasn't Sarah that received Hoggle's call.

"Wait a minute." Sarah starts when the penny drops. "So that's why my roommate left college all of a sudden one day."

"It's not my fault that she was looking through your stuff, just as I appeared in the mirror." Hoggle defends himself. "I was too scared to try it again."

Sarah looks at him while remembering the event. Not really the event, because she was most likely in the library when Hoggle tried to contact her. But someone did come to her to say that Maurene, her roommate, went home due to a breakdown. No one wanted to be Sarah's new roommate because they all thought that she was the cause of it for some reason, even though she wasn't even there when it happened.

"All right, but why didn't you tell me about what happened after I got Toby back?!" She asks, disappointed in her friend for being left out on something as important as this.

"I didn't wanted you to feel guilty for something that you couldn't help. You had to save Toby, but what happened after that was out of your hands." Hoggle explained. He was right. Sarah would have felt quite guilty for the damage she had caused. But she would never feel guilty for saving Toby, no matter what the cost might be.

She sighs and closes her eyes for a moment before addressing Hoggle. "Thanks Hoggle and sorry I raised my voice at you like that. I know you meant well."

"But it's in the past. I have to focus on getting Toby back. And I don't even know where the heck he is!" Sarah says with a desperate tone in her voice at the end. "It's a pity that the Wiseman isn't here now. He did sort of help the last time I was stuck." Sarah says remembering her encounter with the strange man and the talking birdhat.

"I wish I had a fortune cookie." Sarah says absentmindedly, but she looks around to see if anything would happen after saying the 'magic words.' Unfortunately for her, nothing happened. "I guess that only works with babies, lucky me." Sarah tells Hoggle and Sir Didymus.

"The way forwards is sometimes the way back." She repeats the Wiseman's advice out loud.

Sarah starts to pace in front of Hoggle and Sir Didymus. "Forward, back, Toby, forward, back, Toby, forward, back, Toby." Her companions look at each other, both unsure if they should say anything.

"Guys, I'm going to the castle. It's a step back into history! Well, not really but it's close enough." Sarah says, making Hoggle look at her in utter shock. "What? I'm desperate Hoggle. I have no idea where to go except the place where they took him last time."

But Hoggle doesn't want to hear it. His eyes are wide open and he shakes his head violently. "No, no, no, no, no, no! You don't know what you're talking about!" The fear on his face makes way for a stern look. "Do you think you can just march into the city after what happened last time?" He asks seriously while pointing his finger at Sarah. "You would be spotted in an instant."

Understanding comes across Sarah's face. The last time she visited the Goblin City was not something you could call touristic sightseeing. She suspects that she cannot enter the village, where every goblin must remember her. But her worries are in vain when a simple, yet effective solution is presented by none other than Hoggle.

"You would have to disguise yourself to even have the slightest chance of getting in and out of there." He finishes with a smirk like the idea itself is nothing more a stupid joke.

But it's not a stupid joke to Sarah, who is more than ready to do whatever it takes to get into the city.

"You know what Hoggle? I think you have a point there." Sarah answers innocently.

Hoggle sees the pleased look on Sarah's face and he knows that his words don't have the effect he was hoping for.

"Damn me and my stupid mouth." Hoggle grunts while he slaps himself across his face. "I will take you to my home and we will disguise you there. But I'm only doing this because I am your friend, it's my stupid idea and I know nothing will change your mind."

Sarah smiles at her friend. "I must say Hoggle, you know me very well." She answers.

Hoggle only grunts in acknowledgement and the four of them head towards Hoggle's humble abode.

* * *

Sarah stared at the person in the mirror. "I don't know guys. I just look so…."

"Completely unrecognizable, Milady!" Sir Didymus says in his usual cheerful mood.

"Laughable is the word I would prefer to use." Hoggle voices his opinion.

Sarah, Sir Didymus, Hoggle and Ambrosius are all standing in the small living room of Hoggle's house. Sarah looks once again at her reflection in the mirror. Her outfit consists of a mask that looks a lot like the ones she saw in the bubble ballroom, an old and ruffled high hat and a cape that she can wrap around her entire body.

Sarah can only wonder where Hoggle got all these things, but she feels like she would rather stay in the dark about that.

Hoggle frowns in thought while looking at Sarah in her costume. "I feel like I have seen this before." He says deep in thought.

"Yeah, me too." Sarah looks at Hoggle and then at her reflection.

And then a very familiar voice pops into her mind.

_'__Nothing? Nothing tralala?' _

The beggar who turned into a king.

Sarah groans out loud. "When are these blasted déjà-vu's going to stop?!"

Hoggle and Sir Didymus regard Sarah with shock written all over their faces.

Sir Didymus recovers first from the shock. "Milady, language please!"

"Sarah, are you alright?" Hoggle asks worried.

Sarah takes a seat on the ground. The chairs in the room are not build to carry a person of her physique. "I'm fine Hoggle." She answers softly. "It's nothing." She groans again, because of her own choice of words. But she then turns towards Hoggle with a meaningful look, knowing that he will understand as soon as she says her right words.

"Nothing tralala, Hoggle." And her words do indeed hit their target, in order to activate Hoggle's memory.

"Ohw…." He manages to say.

"Yeah, good times." She answers sarcastically. They both remember what followed after that little visit from the Goblin King.

Sarah stands up and walks around the room. She has to bend over slightly so her head doesn't hit the ceiling.

"Well, it doesn't matter. This outfit fooled me once, so why not fool others with it right now?" Sarah asks, her spirit back in its place. "I'm off then. Thank you for all your help Sir Didymus. You too Hoggle. I hope we will meet in better circumstances next time." And with that, Sarah prepares to leave the house. It doesn't take very long for Hoggle and Sir Didymus to stop her.

"Are you bonkers? What the hell are you thinking by going out there all by yourself?" Hoggle asks bluntly. "We're going with you whether you like it or not."

"But…." Sarah begins confused. She doesn't want to involve her friends any further into her problems. And Hoggle's bravery reminds her that he has changed a lot in comparison to the grumpy pipsqueak she met four years ago.

"Who are you and what did you do to my friend Hoggle?" Sarah asks with fake suspicion.

Hoggle crosses his arms and looks at anything but Sarah. "Well, that Hoggle has gotten himself some friends. One of them just keeps looking for trouble, I might add."

Sarah looks endearingly at Hoggle and gets to her knees to hug him. Hoggle isn't so shocked this time by her display of affection and returns the hug almost immediately. It is when Sarah gave him a kiss on the cheek that he breaks the hug. He knows it probably won't happen again, but the last time he got a kiss from Sarah, it had bought him and her a ticket to the 'Land of Stench'.

"Yes, well no need to get too emotional." He says a little flustered. "Time to get moving."

"Good idea Hoggle." Sarah answers, suddenly remembering one tiny, little detail. "Hoggle, who's in charge of the Labyrinth now?"

**I had trouble writing this chapter, as you may seem considering the previous update. As to the review about the need for an beta reader: Would be nice indeed, but I do hope that my writing skills aren't too bad all in all. Please do read and review. Comments are very appreciated and valuable! **


	12. Where's Wally?

**CHAPTER ELEVEN: Where's Wally?**

**About the title of this chapter. The American readers might know Wally better as Waldo. And how can we not see the obvious similarity between Wally's t-shirt and cap and Toby's sleepsuit. And the fun thing is, Wally was first drawn in 1986. 1986! (If this year does not ring a bell, to the bog with you!) Coincidence? I don't think so! And with that little note, we return to the plot. Down in the Underground… (Still a catchy song).**

Sarah's POV

"I don't really know much about them Sarah." Hoggle states.

I frown. "What do you mean by 'them'?" Couple, siblings, friends, a sect… Just take a pick. Could be any of those.

"Fine, but I'm going to make this short, because I'm not a library and because that's just all I know. Their names are Deirich and Andeline Felrier." Hoggle begins.

I nod in understanding, even though I have never heard any of those names in my life. But there is no need to ask him about that. Our mission awaits.

"Deirich and Andeline are twins. Brother and sister. Son and daughter of the king and queen of Nimberland. I don't know why they came here. Why do wars begin? Conquest for power, territory, honour or simply because they believe that it is their duty to free the land of the current ruler. The only ones who know why they did it, is them."

"What's Nimberland?" I ask.

"The Labyrinth isn't the only kingdom of the Underground, Sarah." He replies like it would be absurd to think otherwise.

"Yeah, that does sound quite logical." I murmur to myself. "Anything else?" I inquire.

"Do I look like an information centre?" He asks me in return.

"No, but at least I have found my sassy friend back." I reply while smirking.

"Very funny, Sarah." Hoggle mumbles. "Let's go. As usual, I have my ways to get into the city." He says proudly.

* * *

The theme song of Mission Impossible, the television series, starts to play in my head as we sneak through the secret path of Hoggle. Maybe I should clarify this: As I crawl through a claustrophobic tunnel beneath the Goblin City, while the rest of the gang is small enough to walk through the tunnel. It leads straight to an abandoned shed in the centre of the city.

Yes! I see light at the end of the tunnel! Almost there!

We all get into the shed and then Hoggle looks out of the window to see if the coast is clear. Apparently nobody is coming, because he signals us to come and leave the shed. And so I head out to see the city for the first time after many years.

The Goblin Castle still is grand and visible in the distance. The houses seems to be rebuild after what happened. But once in a while, we come across a house that's burned down to the ground. And it seems like it's all done randomly.

The streets are not empty like last time, but the mood is simply depressing. Everybody seems to be sulking, whispering to each other or running around like their life depends of it.

Like I said. The mood is simply depressing.

Hoggle is about to say something, but then a pair of strange looking individuals, that stand out from the crowd, walk straight in our direction.

"Let me do the talking and try to stay quiet!" Hoggle whispers nervously, to both me and Sir Didymus I presume.

When they come closer, I can fully see their appearance. Their ears are slightly pointed and their noses are long and crooked. One guy, the taller one, has a full beard and short brown hair, the other one has no facial hair or even the beginning of stubbles on his cheeks and a little longer, dark grey hair. They are both dressed in the same uniform and the freaky thing about them is that they have no eyebrows. Call me stupid, but it freaks me a little bit out.

"You three, state your business!" The taller one asks while pointing at Hoggle.

Hoggle's legs are slightly shaking, but he seems to be in control of his voice. "We? Well we were just on our way to the castle."

"Oh yes? And why is that?" The other one asks, with a high deep voice. A really high voice. I would have laughed if the situation wasn't so serious.

"They ordered us to complete a mission in all discretion and now we have to report our progress." He answers without missing a beat.

"Then why don't we know anything about that?" The tall one asks, obviously not completely convinced yet.

Hoggle puts on his most serious face. "Well, it wouldn't exactly be discreet if everyone knew about it." I would applause for his convincing speech, but now isn't the best time.

The two guards look at each other for a moment, before nodding to one another.

"Alright, we'll take you to the gate so the guards there will let you pass." The short on says.

And so we march on to the castle. Goblins move out of the way in fear as we walk forward. When we arrive in front of the gate, the two guards talk with three guards for a minute before they order to open the gate.

"You know the way?" The tall one asks Hoggle, insecure if they should join us or not.

Hoggle looks genuinely offended by this. "Of course I do." He declares. And with that, we walk through the gate.

"Alright, stick together. People get lost in this part of the castle if they don't know the way." Hoggle says. Sir Didymus, Ambrosius and I just follow Hoggle until we pass a beautiful wooden door. It has some sort of text on it in several languages I don't know. I stop to admire the door when I see an English passage. "Paths are formed, paths are changed. Hold on to what story awaits. Look inside to see the game." I read out loud. Why can't they explain things so you actually understand them completely.

When I turn around to follow Hoggle again, I see that Hoggle, Sir Didymus and even Ambrosius are gone.

"Ah, shit!" I mumble to myself, getting panicked by the turn of events.

And to make matters worse, I hear footsteps and strange voices coming closer.

"Oh, double shit!" I whisper, now really panicking.

I turn towards again to the door. Please be open, please be open! I pray inside my head before grasping the doorknob and turning it. When the door doesn't immediately open, I slam against it with all my power and weight. I fall into the a room, flat on my face. I quickly get on my feet and shut the door.

I'm still panting when I take a view at my new surroundings.

Apparently I have arrived at some sort of library. Only this can't be a normal library.

There are books as far as the eye can reach and I'm sure that some of them have enough dust on them to know that they haven't been touched in centuries. Oh yes, there is that much dust on them.

"Wow." I whisper, astonished by the amount of books and scrolls. "There seems to be no end to this room. This must Valhalla for any bookworm."

"Yes, we do have a lot of them here." A strange voice echoes out of nowhere, quite literally because I have no idea where the voice is coming from.

I keep looking around trying to find the mysterious person. "Uhm… I am pretty sure that we're not thinking about the same kind of bookworm." That's the first thing you can think of saying right now? Well done Sarah, you sure know how to handle the situation.

Well at least I'm trying, what would you have done?

Well, I might have enquired who this unknown person is? Friend or foe. Something like that.

...

I really need to stop having these inner discussions with myself.

"Perhaps not, but does that mean that one of us is wright or wrong?" The strange voice asks seriously.

I frown while thinking about a possible answer for this odd question. Is this some kind of test or trick? Am I going to end up in an oubliette again?!

"I guess we both believe it's the truth, but The Truth does not exist." I answer hesitantly and still a little afraid to land in an oubliette.

"Interesting." The voice says, very close all of a sudden. I turn around and see a little, old man with a crooked nose, a very long grey beard and clothes, seemingly made by paper. He also has very distinctive light hazel eyes and I feel like I have seen them before .

Not knowing what else to do I hold my hand out and introduce myself. "Hello, my name is Sarah."

He gazes at my hand for a moment, before giving it a slight shake with his hand. "I know." Is all he answers before turning towards a nearby shelf, considering several books before he chooses one very thin one. He then turn towards a nearby chair and makes himself comfortable in it.

Nothing happens for a minute before I speak out. "Well, I have introduced myself even though you already know me for reasons I don't know. Normally, this is when the other one, in this case you, introduces himself as well."

He smiles like the Cheshire Cat. "But you already know who I am." He answers kindly. "Maybe if you take a step back."

Of course! "You're family of the Wiseman!" I exclaim happily.

**Please let me know your thoughts on the story.**


	13. Plan B

**CHAPTER TWELVE: Plan B**

"His brother to be more specific. Or 'a pain in the ass' is how he likes the describe me as well sometimes." He replies in all honesty while absentmindedly stroking his beard. "But that's only after we've had a bit too much to drink of Fairywhisky." He adds, seemingly lost in his thoughts.

"Alright." I say, after being momentarily stunned by what he just said and being unable to imagine the Wiseman saying anything like that in a million years. I know I've known him only briefly, but still. "I think I'd better get going." I say while heading to the door.

"And what about your brother?" He ask mysteriously. I whip around and run towards him.

"You know where he is?!"

The little man yawns and gives me the thin book, the one he had previously picked out. "Take this and you might find what you need."

I take the book and open it in the middle. Nothing, not a word is written in it. I look up to ask what I am supposed to do with an empty ledger. But he has fallen asleep and is snoring ever so silently.

"Must be a family trait." I mumble. My session with him must be over, since the door swings open by itself. I put the books in the inner pocket of my sweater and head out of the room. Back in the corridor, I see my friends standing there, discussing with each other. "Guys!" I call them. They look puzzled at first and then happy to see me.

"Where were you? I told you to stay close!" Hoggle inquires worried.

"I know, I'm sorry Hoggle!" I say, feeling really sorry to have made them worried. "I was just…" I point at where the door had been just seconds ago. How can a door disappear? "Never mind."

I follow Hoggle like a good girl from here on. Hoggle suddenly stops at a locked door. He takes a pin out of his pocket and starts to pick at the lock. I'm amazed when I hear the clicking noise. When I need a burglar, I'll know who to call! We walk into a large room that radiates the vibe 'royalty'. From the huge bed to the beautiful handcrafted writing desk.

We quietly go to the balcony that is attached to the room and just above the throne room. As we hide from the view down below, Hoggle points at the to the male and female in the throne room. They look a lot like the guards we've encountered with, but they are dressed in a much more elegant and sophisticated style.

The man is sitting, or rather hanging on the throne while the woman is sitting on the windowsill.

"That's them." Hoggle whispers to both me and Sir Didymus. They both have the same red hair. She has a Mohican haircut that looks rebellious, but still very refined. He has short, spiky hair. They both wear a similar style of loose pants, but where she wears a matching and he wears a loose, blue poet shirt.

There are around fifteen goblins in the throne room and one seems to be dancing in front of the throne in a jester costume. "Dance you idiot!" The one I presume to be Daerich cheers, while grinning broadly. The goblin start to dance even faster. The other goblins don't say a word.

The female, presumably Andeline, looks at the whole ordeal quite bored and irritated. "Enough!" She orders. "out all of you!" All the goblins, including the very relieved jester, hurry to get out of the room.

Daerich pouts. "C'mon Andy. Know how to have a little fun."

"Fun?" She replies insulted. "You call that fun? Looking at some stupid creature dancing for you in fear. Pray tell me why you'd call that fun, Didi?"

"Don't call me that!" He shouts, frustrated. "What do you suppose we do in the meantime?"

She turns to stare out of the window. "I don't know. I'm just angry because it seems like we're making no progress."

Daerich stands up and walks up to her. He leans against the wall while looking at her. "We have found that boy, that's progress!"

She looks him dead in the eye. "Yes. A weak and little human boy. We're saved." She replies in a monotone voice. "We don't know how or why he got here. He won't say anything. Just our luck."

He gives her a soft shoulder punch. "You have to stop being so moody."

"Well, I just got a little bit more of dad in me." She reasons. They share a moment in silence.

Daerich is the first one to break the silence. "So what are we supposed to do with the boy?"

"I don't know. Perhaps he has useful information, but maybe he is just a kid that got here because of bad luck. All I know is that I don't want to make any rash decisions." She answers.

He nods. "So we just let him stay in his cell?"

"Yeah, for now." She simply replies. They both leave the room and I'm almost fuming. How dare they throw Toby in a cell! He is only five years old for crying out loud!

"What are you doing there? Nobody is supposed to come here without permission!" A guard asks us.

Hoggle starts to mutter incomprehensive words and the guard reaches over to his sword. He opens his mouth with an angered face. "Gua…Umpf!" He falls on his knees after I kicked him with all my power and anger in his crown jewels before he could finish his shout. I feel a little bad as I see him clutching his neither regions and wheezing. But I think he'll be fine soon enough.

"Hoggle, get us out of here!" He nods and starts to run as fast as he can. Sir Didymus mounts Ambrosius and they pursue Hoggle. I take on last look at the guard, who is slowly coming back to his senses, and run away.

After what seems like an eternity, Hoggle leads us into a small room with…medieval looking toilets? I don't like where this is going.

He lifts up the wooden toilet seat which is connected to a large pipe.

I really don't like where this is going!

"No,no,no,no,no." I moan. "There has to be another way!" It's not that I hate dirt, but I have a strong feeling that it won't be regular dirt at the end of this ride.

We can hear faint screaming. "Not today." He answers. And with that, he gives me a push on my back and I slide through the pipe.

"AAAH!" With a big splash, I land straight in what must be the sewer of the city. "When we get out of here, I'll kill you Hoggle." I growl. After I get out of the water, I see Sir Didymus gliding through the tunnel, followed by a barking Amrosius and Hoggle. None of them seem very pleased to see where we are. Well…

"What an unique odour." Sir Didymus muses. He should really see a doctor with that nose.

Hoggle leads us through the sewer and after a while we end up outside the walls of the city. I can hear the tumult and the bells ringing in the distance. Knowing that this is our cue, we agree that it would be better to create a safe distance between us and the city.

The four of us head in the opposite direction of the city, all soaked and smelling like rancid eggs. When everything seems safe enough, we halt at wat must be a very old oak. I remove the cloak, the only piece I still own of my costume, since I lost my hat and mask in the sewer. No great loss.

But it is now that I remember the book that was given to me in the library. I retrieve it from my inner pocket, expecting it to be soaked, but it is completely dry.

Creepy.

"What's that?" Hoggle asks curiously.

I look at it. "A gift." I explain. "The guy from the library in the castle gave it to me."

Hoggle looks confused at me and the book. "Sarah, I have no idea what you're talking about."

How can he not know of the giant library in there? "Anyway, it doesn't matter. There is nothing written in it." I say. An idea pops into my mind. "Maybe I'm not looking right." I take a second look at the book and search for any hidden clues. I almost give up when I see something written in the right upper corner of the cover. I have to look close to be able to read it.

"Gnihtyreve si a eciohc." I read out loud. Complete gibberish if you ask me. But when I open to look at the first page, I see some sort of map with a big, red X on it. And I thought that things like that only happened in pirate movies.

"Do you know this place, Hoggle?" I ask him while pointing at the X.

He studies the map before answering my question. "That's Fort Hallow. It has been an abandoned place for as long as I can remember."

"Do you know if this could be a possible place to imprison people?"

"Well, my father did tell me the tales of how they used to make use of that fort in battles to isolate prisoners of war. But like I said, it has been abandoned for a very long time and it's most likely close to being a ruin." Hoggle tells me in all seriousnes.

But for the first time since I got here, I feel like we're finally on the right track.

**A note to the guest review: I apologise for confusing you. But I'm can't reveal anything about that for specific reasons. But thank you for letting me know your thoughts about the topic.**

**A note to the other guest review: I completely understand that you want to see his majesty appear . But unfortunately, I just can't poof him in here. He can, I on the other hand cannot. I don't have the balls (pun intended). **


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